University of Cincinnati head coach John Brannen has announced the additions of Craig Heatherly and George Neilson to the men’s basketball support staff.
Heatherly will serve as director of basketball operations while Neilson will be tasked as the program’s video coordinator.
Heatherly worked the past four seasons at North Dakota. He was elevated to the role of assistant coach for the 2018-19 campaign after spending three seasons as the director of operations with the Fighting Hawks. In his second season at North Dakota (2016-17), he helped lead North Dakota to the school’s first NCAA Tournament appearance.
Prior to his work at North Dakota, Heatherly served five seasons on the coaching staff at Davenport University, an NAIA-level school in Michigan. He held the title of associate head coach during his final two seasons with the program. During Heatherly’s stay, Davenport registered a 177-39 record with three Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) titles, including outright championships in 2012 and 2013.
Heatherly earned a degree in business administration management from UMass-Lowell in 2010. As a player at the school, Heatherly helped lead the River Hawks to two NCAA Division II Tournament appearances and the 2010 Northeast-10 Conference Tournament championship.
A native of Mishawaka, Ind., Heatherly earned his master’s degree in business management from Davenport in April 2019.
Heatherly and his wife, Linaya, are expecting their first child in August.
“Craig has tremendous experience both in an operations role as well as being an assistant basketball coach at North Dakota,” Brannen said. “His organization and creativity will be utilized a great deal on our staff. We are also excited to welcome his wife Linaya to UC.”
Neilson joins Cincinnati’s support staff after three seasons as director of men’s basketball operations at Santa Clara.
He spent the 2015-16 season as basketball operations assistant with the NBA’s Chicago Bulls, creating personnel reports and video edits on opponents while assisting in player development workouts.
Before his time with the Bulls, Neilson assisted at Arizona State for two seasons as the video coordinator (2014-15) and a graduate assistant (2013-14).
Neilson, a native of Tuscaloosa, Ala., earned a degree in physical education from Alabama in 2011 while serving as a student manager his final two years.
Neilson also served as a volunteer assist video coordinator with the Crimson Tide during the 2011-12 season and a graduate assistant at Drake in 2012-13.
Neilson earned a master’s degree in liberal studies from Arizona State in 2014. He is engaged to marry Michelle Belleville.
“George and I had the chance to work together at the University of Alabama,” Brannen said. “Like Craig, he brings a wealth of experience to his position. Including time in the NBA and Pac-12 conference, I have enjoyed watching his ascent in our profession. We would also like to welcome his fiancée, Michelle, to UC.”
Brannen Announces Additions to Cincinnati Basketball Support Staff
